CBI examines Maran, questioning to continue

The CBI on Tuesday examined DMK leader Dayanidhi Maran in connection with its probe against him for allegedly using more than 300 high-speed telephone lines at his three residences in Chennai and Delhi during his tenure as communication minister between June 2004 and May 2007. The former telecom minister, who was questioned at the agency’s headquarters here for the second consecutive day, has been asked to appear before the agency sleuths on Wednesday also.

According to sources Maran was questioned for nearly six hours by the agency’s special task force which is handling the investigation.

The CBI in July 2013 had filed a case against BSNL officials for allegedly allotting high-speed telephone lines at Maran’s Boat House residence in Chennai.

“Investigations have revealed that a loss of over Rs 1.8 crore was caused to the exchequer by use of such large number of high capacity ISDN lines at Maran’s residence in Chennai,” sources said.

In its FIR, the CBI had mentioned over 320 lines but during the probe it has surfaced that the over 770 BSNL lines were installed at his three residences. The agency had filed the FIR following its preliminary enquiry in which there was enough material to proceed with a regular case against BSNL officials. The Supreme Court recently rejected the demand of CBI to take Maran into custody.